A woman has shared her story about her battle with her eating disorder and how she managed to get back on track after her heart nearly stopped when she was just 17 years old.

The trigger of anorexia was due to a sad and ongoing family situation.

Her body weight was so low and her health so bad it resulted in her spending a year in hospital recovering and having therapy.

Hope Virgo, 28 from South West London is now campaigning for the system to change after she relapsed in 2016 after her grandmother passed away.

Hope found herself not eating, calories counting and exercising alot again. She soon recognised that the illness was living with her again and she went and sought help after she felt that life was spiralling.

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Hope Virgo is campaigning for professionals to see that there is more to an eating disorder than weight. Hope has battled anorexia and when she was 17 years old she was hospitalised and relapsed later and found that she was turned away as she was not underweight enough. (Image: Hope Virgo)

Hope said: “I relapsed in May 2016 after my grandmother passed away. It was a combination of guilt and grief and I went back to my coping mechanisms.

“I knew what was happening. You do not chose to be anorexic.

“I nearly ended my life. The illness is so competitive. It is like someone is living with you and you feel utterly useless. It is like you are never thin enough.

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“I went to get help but I was turned away as I was not underweight enough for them to offer me support.

“When I was turned away I cried for weeks. I was crying because the anorexia was telling me what to do.

Hope reached a weight so low that her heart nearly stopped and she was in hospital for a year. (Image: Hope Virgo)

“What stopped me ending my life was that my sister rang me. I realised that this was not an option as I had to be here for her.”

This came as a huge wake up call for Hope. She wanted to help people understand that eating disorders are not just about being dangerously under or over weight. It is more about someone with a mental health issue that is quite fragile.

Hope said: “I have been back on meds and been back using my coping mechanisms and try to talk about it.

Hope wants those with eating disorders to be able to access help before their weight gets to low. (Image: Hope Virgo)

“I have been speaking to my boyfriend and my mum and my sister and they are checking in on me that I am not doing too much exercise. I have been learning to express my emotions in a healthy way.

“I needed to talk otherwise I would have died.”

Hope has launched a petition that will be discussed in Parliament. She hopes to change peoples attitudes towards eating disorder and has been working with professionals to help them understand that an eating disorder is not just about the physical weight.

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Hope wants GPs to have more training in their degree. She claims that currently GPs only seem to have two hours training about the condition throughout their training and it is not enough.

Hope wants others that have eating disorders that want help to be seen before they get too underweight. (Image: Hope Virgo)

In Hope’s petition statement she states: “Despite the guidance too often individuals are turned away from receiving essential support because they aren’t skinny enough to be considered at risk. This leaves the individual feeling like they aren’t worth getting that support, feeling like a “fake”, potentially losing more weight to hit that target and in some cases feeling suicidal. This is why I’m calling on the government to review the eating disorder guidance delivered by clinicians.”

The ‘Dump the Scales’ campaign is trying to get the message across that the weight of the person is not able to determine the mental illness of someone that has an eating disorder.

So far nearly 70,000 people have signed the petition, and she hopes that the message ofg what she is saying will be taken on board across the UK.

Where to get help and what to do if you're worried about mental health issues

Where to get help and what to do if you're worried about mental health issues

If you're not feeling yourself, going through a bad time, or are just feeling sad more than usual, it's possible that you could be experiencing depression or anxiety.

This doesn't mean that you're necessarily at risk, there are scales of both, and it could be that you are just experiencing low mood or moderate anxiety.

The most important thing to do is to let people around you know how you're feeling.

Talking to a partner, family member or friend is essential. They may be able to offer support and can be there for you while you go through a difficult time.

Where can I get help?

You should also go to talk to your GP.

Your GP can help find out if you're experiencing anxiety, stress and depression.

They can recommend ways to feel better naturally, for example increasing your exercise levels, or can suggest medication and counselling.

They can also refer you on to other mental health services.

Who else can I call?

Let’s Talk is a free NHS service for anyone experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety, stress and depression. It can be contacted on 0800 073 2200 or via www.talk2gether.nhs.uk.

If you feel you need more help, you can call the 2gether NHS Foundation Trust in Gloucestershire direct on 0800 073 2200 to discuss an appointment.

The mental health charity Mind runs a helpline on 0300 123 3393, or 86463 on text.

The Samaritans is also always there for those who have nowhere else to turn.

But it stresses that it's not just for those who have suicidal thoughts. In fact they say: "Most people who contact us are not suicidal. When you talk to us, we will give you an opportunity to talk about any thoughts or feelings you have, whatever they may be."

You can call the Samaritans on 116 123.

In Cheltenham, the Suicide Crisis Centre provides vital support. Along with the services at the centre in High Street, Cheltenham, the charity also goes out to visit service users – sometimes staying for hours at a time if they are at high risk of suicide.